Over at Adzuna, the specialists in getting the job search off to the right start, they have put together a 2014 hit list of the top five resolutions every recruiter should be signing up to this January:
1. Know everything about your dream candidate
Luck favours the prepared, as they say. Recruiting managers that seem to fill position after position with effortless grace and ease are very rarely simply lucky. Creating a very specific profile of the people you would love to meet. as a team, helps focus thinking throughout the organisation on what is truly important for the role in question, eliminating last minute differences of opinion in the hiring process.
2. Be seen by the right audience
Finding candidates that stand out from the crowd as a perfect match for the role your are hoping to fill is far from easy, and getting in front of your audience at the beginning of their job search is key. Working with job search engines to cost-effectively drive significant traffic to your key vacancies, increasing the chance of finding the perfect match for open positions in next to no time.
3. Stay informed
Prepared and successful candidates know the value of their own skills and experience and how to communicate this effectively. Understanding where your roles fall in the larger scope of their job search will put you in a stronger position to promote the benefits of the roles you are working on.
4. Think social
With the power of social media at the front of mind for many recruiters and hiring organisations, a cursory glance at an applicants Facebook profile is no longer sufficient to optimise the value social networks can add to the recruitment process. Savvy recruiters are take this a step further, looking to social networks as a source of potential referees, analysing working relationships and as a source of introduction to candidates who may not actively be looking.
5. Use the right language
It’s a proven fact that we warm more readily to people we can relate to – so choosing the right language in job ads and communications early on can go a long way towards attracting candidates with a natural fit with both your organisation and the hiring manager. Looking closely at how applicants represents their skills and experiences and consider whether the style would fit with the people they would be working alongside. When seeking candidates for a fast-paced new startup for example, the candidate who describes themselves as “a long-established financial services professional with 15 years experience in a leading financial institution and a talent for implementing complex procedures”, could be in for something of a culture shock. Using language that truly represents the attitude and professional ethos you are looking for, as well as the skill set, will help the right candidates gravitate to your advert.
By Andrew Hunter, Co-Founder of Adzuna.co.uk
